Mobile floor for swimming pool

ABSTRACT

A mobile floor device for a swimming pool including a stationary floor, standing lateral walls, a mobile floor and a mechanism for pulling said mobile floor. The pulling mechanism includes cables and drivers driving the cables in one direction or in a reverse direction. Each cable having a first end connected to the mobile floor and a second end connected to the swimming pool. For each cable, at least one driver drives a maximum of one cable. The drivers are attached either to the swimming pool or to the mobile floor with the lengths of the cables between the drivers and the mobile floor and the swimming pool, respectively, being substantially equal to one another.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The technical field of the invention is that of buildings or similar constructions intended for a specific use such as swimming pools or wading pools, and more specifically a mobile floor device for such a construction.

PRIOR ART

Numerous devices are already known in the field, in particular a device making it possible to install means for supporting a floor of a swimming or a wading pool, where lifting means are provided, for lifting by cables or pivotably connected arms located at a level below the floor of the swimming pool and capable of supporting said floor and of moving it vertically in translation.

Patent application EP 1174569 A1 is an example of this.

Such devices have, in particular, the following disadvantages:

requiring high maintenance costs;

in the case of a solution using cables, not enabling uniform operation due in particular to the cable returns and the length and elongation of said cables;

requiring high-power motors as well as the presence of a mechanical room nearby.

In addition, document EP 2103761 A1 describes a mobile floor device for a swimming pool including a stationary floor and lateral standing walls, which device comprises:

a mobile floor; and

means for pulling said mobile floor, in which said pulling means include cables and drivers for driving the cables in one direction or in the reverse direction, in which each of the cables has a first end connected to said mobile floor and a second end connected to the swimming pool.

Nevertheless, such devices have in particular the disadvantages of requiring high-power motors and consume a lot of energy.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The device described below is intended to overcome all or some of the aforementioned disadvantages and/or in particular to produce a mobile swimming or wading pool floor in a simple, reliable and economical manner.

Said mobile swimming pool floor is characterized in that it includes, for each cable, at least one said driver, in which a said driver drives a maximum of one said cable, and in that the drivers are attached either to the swimming pool or to the mobile floor, and the pulling means are arranged so that the lengths of the cables between the drivers and the mobile floor and the swimming pool, respectively, are substantially equal to one another.

It is understood that:

a cable return refers to any movement transmission member changing the direction of the cable;

a driver refers to any means for driving a cable, powered or not.

In addition, such an arrangement of the pulling means ensures a substantially equal distribution of forces between the drivers. This makes it possible in particular to be capable of reducing the necessary pulling forces of the drivers, which can thus have a lower power and consume less energy.

Therefore, the problems of elongation of the cables and uniform operation of the device are solved.

An alternative to solving this same technical problem relates to a device, which is characterized in that it includes:

for each cable, at least one said driver, in which one said driver drives a maximum of one said cable, and

means for taking up length, so that the respective lengths of the cables between the cable returns, attached either to the swimming pool or to the mobile floor, and, respectively, the mobile floor and the swimming pool, are substantially equal to one another.

Indeed, said means for taking up length also ensure a substantially equal distribution of forces between the drivers. This makes it possible, in particular, as mentioned above, to reduce the necessary pulling forces of the drivers, which can then have a lower power and consume less energy. This is particularly advantageous when the mobile floor is rigid and non-pivoting, and said mobile floor is kept horizontal.

Advantageously, for one and/or the other of these alternatives, the mobile floor includes, for each cable, a maximum of one cable return.

The limitation of the number of cable returns to one element per cable makes it possible to limit the length of the cables.

However, the alternatives cited are not mutually exclusive and can be complementary.

Moreover, a plurality of optional embodiments are possible in order to make it possible to move the mobile floor with respect to the swimming pool depending on whether the pulling means apply an upward or downward pulling force on the mobile floor.

Thus, according to a first optional embodiment, the pulling means are suitable for creating a force of which a main component is directed upward.

In this case, and according to another feature, each of the drivers is attached to the swimming pool. Advantageously, each of these said drivers drives the cable by the second end so as to form a cable reserve. The driver drives a single shaft in rotation, which shaft is attached to said second cable end, and the cable reserve is formed by the cable portion wound around the shaft.

Each of the first ends of the cables is advantageously connected to the mobile floor by an attachment located at the periphery of the mobile floor; this makes it possible to improve the stability of the mobile floor during its movement o and to improve the efficacy of the action of the driver.

According to a preferred feature, in particular when the pulling means are capable of creating a force of which a main component is directed upward:

the lateral walls are connected to one another, at an upper end, externally to an upper surface, also called the “deck”, which is substantially horizontal; and

each of the drivers is located substantially level with, or in the immediate vicinity of, said upper swimming pool surface, i.e. said deck.

The driver, substantially level with or in the immediate vicinity of said swimming pool deck, is then capable of winding and unwinding the cable. Therefore, the arrangement of multiple pulling means at the periphery of the swimming pool makes it possible, by the action of the drivers, to create pulling forces on the cables and thus raise the mobile floor. Conversely, when the drivers reverse this pulling force, the mobile floor can be lowered.

Moreover, when state of the mobile floor is modified, and more specifically a static state, i.e. immobile, is modified, to a state in which it is caused to move, i.e. mobile, the driver, whether power-driven or manual, must overcome an inertial force at the start due to the weight of the mobile floor. In order to limit this force, the mobile floor can include flotation means making it possible to partially lighten the weight of said mobile floor and thus overcome this starting inertia. In the case of a powered driver, this makes it possible to use low-voltage motors compatible with a solar energy supply, and, in the case of a manual driver, to reduce the necessary force to be applied, for example in the rotation of a crank.

In addition, the cable return is, in this alternative, preferably a pulley located on the edge of the swimming pool. Indeed, this cable return is capable of changing the direction of the cable between the mobile floor, in particular at its periphery, and the swimming pool, in particular the driver, where the first and second ends of said cable are respectively attached. In this way, the angle formed by the edge of the swimming pool does not in any way affect the efficacy of the driver.

According to a second optional embodiment, the mobile floor is capable of floating in a free state, and the pulling means of said mobile floor are, in an stressed state of said mobile floor by said pulling means, capable of exerting a force F_(T) on the mobile floor with a main component F_(TX) directed toward the stationary floor.

In this way, the mobile floor is capable of floating on the water if no pulling force is exerted on it. In addition, if a pulling force is exerted, the mobile floor is capable of being moved in a balanced position, below the floatation level in the free state, in which the balanced position is then defined as a flotation state in the stressed state. As the buoyancy and weight are constants of the same system, only the variation in the pulling force is capable of placing the mobile floor in this stressed state.

In other words, by the action of the driver on the cable, it is capable of creating a tension on the latter exerting a pulling force on the mobile floor, which force is directed downward, which will have the consequence of lowering the mobile floor and placing it in the stressed flotation state. It is the release of the tension on the cable that will enable the mobile floor to rise back up. The action of the driver is therefore to cause the variation of the cables length, enabling the depth of the mobile floor to be modified.

According to a specific feature, said mobile floor comprises a platform and flotation means. The flotation means are in particular chosen according to the size of the swimming pool, the covering of the upper platform and the gas volume necessary for its flotation.

According to an advantageous technical specificity of this second option, i.e. when a pulling force on the mobile floor is directed downward, each of the drivers is attached to the platform and drives the cable by the first end so as to form a cable reserve. The action of the driver is therefore to cause the variation of the cables, enabling the depth of said mobile floor to be modified.

According to another aspect of this same option, each of the second cable ends is connected to the swimming pool by an attachment located on one of the standing walls. Advantageously, as the mobile floor has at least one vertical thickness, each of the attachments connecting the second ends of the cables to the swimming pool is located at a maximum distance from the stationary floor equal to the largest thickness of the mobile floor.

Advantageously, if the pulling means are capable of exerting a force on the mobile floor with a main component F_(TX) directed toward said stationary floor, each of the cable returns:

is capable of acting as a point of application of the force F_(T), of which the main component F_(TX), is directed toward said stationary floor; and/or

is arranged at the periphery of said mobile floor.

In addition, the cable return is in this second option, preferably a pulley located on the edge of the platform. Indeed, this cable return is capable of changing the direction of the cable between the mobile floor, in particular at its periphery, and the swimming pool, in particular the driver, where the first and second ends of said cable are respectively attached. In this way, the angle formed by the edge of the platform in no way affects the efficacy of the driver.

Regardless of the forces applied on the mobile floor, the mobile floor device advantageously includes:

means for guiding and stabilizing the mobile floor with respect to the lateral walls, which guide means are located at the periphery of said mobile floor; and/or

means for locking the mobile floor with respect to the lateral walls.

This makes it possible to guide the raising and lowering of the mobile floor and to ensure the locking of same at the chosen depth. These guide means can be wheels arranged between the lateral standing walls and the mobile floor. The locking means can be cylinders located at the periphery of the mobile floor and coming into contact with said lateral standing walls, thus locking the mobile floor at a certain depth.

In addition, the invention also relates to a swimming pool characterized in that it includes a mobile floor device as presented.

To ensure the safety of the device, said mobile floor may be capable of supporting, in flotation, an additional load of 150 kg/m², regardless of the force applied on the mobile floor by the pulling means.

The technical features cited in this description are technical features that are particularly easy to maintain, thereby making it possible to eliminate the need to have a mechanical room nearby.

In addition, the reduced volume of said mobile floor device makes enables it to be implemented on new swimming pools as well as on already existing swimming pools, without requiring any notable modification of the external space. The shape of the swimming pool is also relatively unimportant.

The plurality of pulling means also makes it possible to limit the force supplied by the driver, and therefore to respond to the environmental problem: the use of low-voltage motors can be envisaged; therefore, it is possible to consider using a solar energy source.

In such a case, the device includes photovoltaic panels so as to supply each of the drivers with solar energy, in which the latter advantageously comprise 12V motors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other features, details and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description, in reference to the appended figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section diagram of a mobile floor device of a swimming pool according to a first particular embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a diagram of a mobile floor device of a swimming pool according to this same particular embodiment, from a top view;

FIG. 3 shows a diagram of a mobile floor device for a swimming pool according to a second particular embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows another detailed diagram of a mobile floor device for a swimming pool according to this second particular embodiment.

For greater clarity, the same or similar features of the different embodiments will be denoted by the same reference signs in all of the figures. The description of these features will not systematically be repeated from one embodiment to another.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a mobile floor device 1 of a swimming pool according to an embodiment of the invention. Indeed, the swimming pool shown comprises a stationary floor 2 and lateral standing walls 3. Thus, the mobile floor device 1 comprises a mobile floor 4 capable of being guided vertically upward and downward by guide means 11. It is understood that the vertical is defined as a reference axis substantially perpendicular to the mobile floor 4.

The guide means 11 are in this case wheels laterally attached to the mobile floor 4, i.e. between the mobile floor 4 and the lateral standing walls 3.

The mobile floor 4 is supported by pulling means 5. Each pulling means 5 includes a driver 6 and a cable 7 of which a first end 9 is attached to the mobile floor 4 and of which a second end 10 is attached to the swimming pool.

In the example shown here (FIGS. 1 and 2), the swimming pool described is equipped with six pulling means and has a working depth of 1500 mm. The six pulling means are distributed on each side of the swimming pool over its length and spaced apart substantially regularly, promoting the distribution of forces for each cable.

In addition, each of the six drivers 6 is capable of driving a single cable 7, and each of the drivers 6 is attached to the swimming pool and drives the cable 7 by the second end 10 so as to form a cable reserve 7.

The lateral walls 3 are connected, at an upper end 3′, outside a substantially horizontal upper surface 12 and each of the drivers 6 is located substantially level with said upper surface 12 of the swimming pool.

In addition, a pulley, the single cable return 8 arranged in each of the pulling means, is located at the upper periphery of the swimming pool, more specifically at the upper end 3′ of the lateral walls 3, so that the cable 7 of each driver 6 is as vertical as possible at the level of the first end 9, and, consequently, improves the efficacy of the driver.

Furthermore, the pulling means 5 are in this case arranged so that the lengths of the cables between the drivers 6 and the mobile floor 4 are substantially equal to one another. Indeed, the pulling means 5 are arranged so that the cables maintain an equal distance between the drivers 6 and the mobile floor 4, even if one pulling means has a greater cable reserve than another.

If there are substantial variations in cable 7 lengths, for example due to expansion, the mobile floor device 1 may comprise, in addition or not to the arrangement of pulling means 5, means for taking up length so that the respective lengths of the cables 7 between the cable returns 8, attached to the swimming pool, and the mobile floor 4, connected to the pulling means by the first ends 9 of the cables 7, are substantially equal to one another.

In this case, the means for taking up length (not shown in the figures) comprise at least one sensor-encoder assembly, in which each assembly is associated with pulling means 5 and connected to a same controller.

When the driver is running, the encoder transmits information to the controller, and said information is measured by the sensor, which then determines the position of the mobile floor 4.

Said information includes, for example, a rotation speed of the driver and a number of pulses per time unit, indicating a time period. The controller therefore has complete knowledge of the location of the mobile floor 4 with respect to the stationary floor 2. For this, it is necessary, in the first adjustment, to program the extreme positions of the mobile floor 4, namely:

a minimal position in which the lengths of the unwound cables 7 are minimal, i.e. in this case when the mobile floor 4 is substantially level with the upper surface 12 of the swimming pool, and

a maximal position in which the lengths of the unwound cables are maximal, i.e. in this case when the mobile floor 4 is substantially level with the stationary floor 2 of the swimming pool.

For example, a user commands the mobile floor 4, by means of the controller, to be lowered to its maximal position, and the controller that has been programmed with a number of pulses per driver 6 necessary for the movement of each cable 7, defining a certain period of unwinding, then commands said drivers 6 to unwind the cables 7. Once the mobile floor is in its maximal position, the controller stops the drivers 6.

When the mobile floor 4 is raised back up, if a cable 7 has an elongating, one of the drivers 6 will run faster than the others for a few seconds. As this cable 7 has a smaller load, the additional pulses induced by the elongation of said cable 7 are recorded by the controller, which will take this into account during subsequent lowerings, i.e. in the subsequent steps of unwinding of the cable 7.

If the phenomenon occurs for all of the drivers 6 at the same time, the controller will take this into account for the next immersion of the mobile floor in the swimming pool, but for all of the drivers 6, the elongation of the cables 7 will then have been entirely corrected.

In this particular case, the drivers 6 are low-voltage motors, so that solar energy can be used, thus responding to the environmental problem. More generally, the entire mobile floor device 1 is in this case powered by electricity, specifically 12 volts, so that it can be powered entirely autonomously by one or more photovoltaic panels.

The mobile floor device also comprises electromagnetic brake installed on the motors, enabling the mobile floor 4 to be stabilized in the desired working location. Said electromagnetic brake are thus capable of braking, or blocking, the raising or lowering of the mobile floor 4. This indeed enables the driver 6 to be locked, thereby blocking the raising or lowering of the mobile floor 4 outside of the raising or lowering movements. Said mobile floor 4 is therefore suspended. If the mobile floor 4 is locked in its highest position, cylinders positioned on the edge of the swimming pool cause rods to move forward, which rods are inserted in the mobile floor 4 including openings provided for this purpose and definitively locks the mobile floor 4 in the high position.

In this case, the elongation of the cables 7 cannot be greater than 1% of the working depth of the swimming pool, i.e. 15 mm of elongation, over time. If 50% of this elongation is corrected by the controller, the rods controlled by the cylinders are cut into a point so as to be capable of penetrating the openings located laterally on the mobile floor 4 and to be capable of locking it, enabling successful clearance of more or less 12 mm. In addition, the power of the cylinders is relatively high in order to force the penetration of the rods into said openings and thus “re-place” the mobile floor 4 in the correct position.

A maintenance operation, possible remotely by the Internet if the controller is connected via this network, makes it possible, if the controller has not achieved its work, to retain the cables 7 without lowering the mobile floor 4: said maintenance operation, consisting of engaging the cylinders, causes the motors 6 to start, one by one in order to reposition the platform 13 and take up the elongation of the cables 7.

The combined use of the locking means 15, which are the cylinders and the rods, as well as the load carrying capacity of the cable 7, enables the mobile floor to have an additional operational load of 250 kg/m² outside of the water. The buoyancy makes it possible, when the mobile floor 4 is immersed, to preserve more than 150 kg/m² of additional load per square meter.

FIG. 2 shows a diagram of a mobile floor device 1 of a swimming pool according to this first particular embodiment, from a top view for a swimming pool with a rectangular cross-section and of which the mobile floor 4 is suitable for this shape.

This figure particularly shows the substantially regular arrangement of the pulling means 5 arranged equidistantly along the swimming pool, in particular over the length thereof.

FIG. 3 shows a diagram of a said “floating” mobile floor device 1, for a swimming pool according to a second particular embodiment. Indeed, a swimming pool, in this case constructed by masonry, more specifically comprises a stationary floor 2 and standing lateral walls 3. A mobile floor 4 is arranged at the surface of the water, and comprises a platform 13 as well as flotation means 14 distributed regularly below said platform 13 and secured to one another. These flotations means 14 are in this case floating, and filled with a volume of air calculated on the basis of parameters such as the size of the swimming pool and the covering of the platform 13 so as to ensure optimal flotation of said mobile floor 4. The covering of this platform 13 can, for example, be tiling or wood.

The drivers 6, in this case low-voltage motors, in this case forming an integral part of the platform 13, make it possible, in this embodiment, to attach the first ends 9 of the cables. Therefore, each motor comprises a cable reserve and is capable of unwinding and winding said cable 7 around a motor spindle. These motorizations are powered by the 12-volt current.

The pulling means 5 each include a driver 6 and a cable 7 of which a first end 9 is attached to the mobile floor 4, more specifically and preferably to the platform 13, and of which a second end 10 is attached to the swimming pool.

In addition, the pulling means 5 are in this case arranged so that the lengths of the cables 7 between the drivers 6 and the swimming pool are substantially equal to one another. Indeed, the pulling means 5 are arranged so that the cables 7 maintain an equal distance between the drivers 6 and the swimming pool, even if pulling means include one cable reserve 7 that is greater than another.

In addition, a cable return 8 is arranged between the first 9 and second 10 ends, in this case at the periphery of the platform 13 so that it is capable of serving as a point of application P of the force F_(T). The main component F_(TX) is vertical. It is oriented downward.

In this way, the tension of the different cables of the pulling means around the upper platform will exert forces F_(T) distributed at different application points P of the mobile floor of which the main components F_(TX) applied at each of these said application points P are directed toward said stationary floor 2 and will induce a movement by pulling on the mobile floor 4. In addition, the effect of the buoyancy applied on the entire mobile floor 4 will induce the desired stressed flotation state. It is then possible to maintain the mobile floor 4 at the desired depth by causing the length of the cables to vary uniformly.

Guide means, in this case not shown, make it possible to reduce the friction between the mobile floor 4 and the lateral walls 3 capable of being induced by the existence of a horizontal component F_(TY) of the forces applied on the mobile floor 4.

In this embodiment, the results obtained are such that the mobile floor 4 is capable of supporting, in flotation, an additional load of 150 kg/m². The structure of the mobile floor 4 is produced so that the buoyancy is sufficient to naturally cause the platform 13 to rise back up to the surface of the water, for example by installing an air reserve, in this case floats 14.

In addition, the locking means 11 of said mobile floor with respect to said lateral walls 3 are located at the periphery of said mobile floor 4. In this case, cylinders are arranged so that they are capable of coming into contact with one of said standing walls 3.

Racks, not shown in these figures, can be arranged vertically on the lateral walls 3 of the swimming pool, in line with each motor 5, enabling the guiding of the mobile floor 4, and said racks can be straight- or slanted-toothed or the mobile floor 4 can be locked at a chosen depth.

Like the first embodiment, this second embodiment can comprise the same means for taking up cable length, except that the extremes positions of the mobile floor 4 are:

a minimal position in which the lengths of the unwound cables 7 are minimal, i.e. in this case when the mobile floor 4 is substantially level with the stationary floor 2 of the swimming pool, and

a maximal position in which the lengths of the unwound cables are maximal, i.e. in this case when the mobile floor 4 is substantially level with the upper surface 12 of the swimming pool.

These means for taking up length make it possible in this case for the respective lengths of the cables 7 between the cable returns 8, attached to the mobile floor 4, and the swimming pool, connected to the pulling means 5 by the second ends 9 of the cables 7, to be substantially equal to one another.

FIG. 4 shows another detailed diagram of a floating mobile floor device 1 for a swimming pool according to this same second particular embodiment.

Numerous modifications can be made to the particular embodiment described above, without going beyond the scope of the invention.

Thus, the general shapes of the mobile floor or of the swimming pool may be different. Indeed, the shape of the swimming pool is free and thus enables the device as described to be capable of matching any swimming pool shape, whether it is new or already existing.

In addition, it is possible to envisage a driver capable of being manually provisionally driven, which enables the adaptation of a manual safety device in the event of an electrical failure.

In addition, a plurality of drivers can be associated with a cable, thus making it possible to provide a main driver and a back-up driver in the event of a technical failure.

Finally, it is specified that the term “cable” can mean a metal wire or another material, such as a structure including a series of chain links or combinations of similar elements. It is in principle a relatively fine means having two opposite free ends. 

1. Mobile floor device of a swimming pool including a stationary floor and standing lateral walls, which device comprises: a mobile floor; means for pulling said mobile floor, in which said pulling means include cables and drivers for driving the cables in one direction or in the reverse direction, in which each of the cables has a first end connected to said mobile floor and a second end connected to the swimming pool; wherein for each cable, at least one said driver, in which the said driver drives a maximum of one said cable, and wherein the drivers are attached either to the swimming pool or to the mobile floor, and the pulling means are then arranged so that the lengths of the cables between the drivers and the mobile floor and the swimming pool, respectively, are substantially equal to one another.
 2. Mobile floor device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pulling means are capable of creating a force of which a main component is directed upward.
 3. Mobile floor device according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the drivers is attached to the swimming pool.
 4. Mobile floor device according to claim 2, wherein the lateral walls are connected, at an upper end, outside a substantially horizontal upper surface and in that each of the drivers is located substantially level with or in the immediate vicinity of said upper surface of the swimming pool.
 5. Mobile floor device according to claim 2, wherein the mobile floor includes flotation means capable of overcoming a starting inertia of the drivers.
 6. Mobile floor device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile floor is capable of floating in a free state, and the pulling means of said mobile floor are, in an stressed state due to said pulling means, capable of exerting a force F_(T) on the mobile floor with a main component F_(TX) directed toward said stationary floor.
 7. Mobile floor device according to claim 6, characterized in that said mobile floor comprises a platform and flotation means.
 8. Mobile floor device according to claim 7, characterized in that each of the drivers is attached to the platform.
 9. Mobile floor device according to claim 6, wherein each of the second ends of the cables is connected to the swimming pool by an attachment located on one of the standing lateral walls.
 10. Mobile floor device according to claim 6, wherein the mobile floor has at least one vertical thickness (e) and in that each of the attachments connecting the second ends of the cables to the swimming pool is located at a maximum distance from the stationary floor equal to the greatest thickness (e) of the mobile floor.
 11. Mobile floor device according to claim 6, wherein each of the cable returns: is capable of acting as a point (P) of application of the force F_(T), of which the main component F_(TX) is directed toward said stationary floor; and is arranged at the periphery of said mobile floor.
 12. Mobile floor device according to claim 1, further comprising means for guiding and stabilization of the mobile floor with respect to the lateral walls, which guiding means are located at the periphery of said mobile floor.
 13. Mobile floor device according to claim 1, further comprising means for locking the mobile floor with respect to the lateral walls.
 14. Mobile floor device of a swimming pool including a stationary floor and standing lateral walls, which device comprises: a mobile floor; means for pulling said mobile floor, in which said pulling means include cables and drivers for driving the cables in one direction or in the reverse direction, in which each of the cables has a first end connected to said mobile floor and a second end connected to the swimming pool; for each cable, at least one said driver, in which a said driver drives a maximum of one said cable, and means for taking up length, so that the respective lengths of the cables between the cable returns attached either to the swimming pool or to the mobile floor, and respectively the mobile floor and the swimming pool, are substantially equal to one another.
 15. Mobile floor device according to claim 1, wherein for each cable, a maximum of one cable return.
 16. Swimming pool including includes a mobile floor device according to claim
 1. 